Guest guest Posted August 24, 2003 Report Share Posted August 24, 2003 Alison, My son has OCD and a panic disorder, and used to hear voices in his head telling him that he had to do things that he didn't want to do. For instance, he used to think he had to wear his back pack on the bus or something bad was going to happen to me, or he had to touch things twice or something bad would happen. He takes Zoloft and Resperdal and although he is struggling with anxiety and OCD issues quite a bit currently, the voices that he used to hear haven't been an issue for a couple of years now. It seems to be a phase that just came and went. Marie~CA Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 24, 2003 Report Share Posted August 24, 2003 Yes, OCD 'talks'. My son named his OCD " Roy " . He even drew a pic of " Roy " . Its not the same kinda literal voices or talking that people with schitzophrenia (sp?) has...but OCD definitely tells that if he doesn't follow through with things, something bad will happen. --Tina Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 24, 2003 Report Share Posted August 24, 2003 Alison, Just my opinion but I think " voices " is probably the only/best way a child has to describe OCD. I'm just guessing here, but for some I think it might be like talking to oneself; ever done that? Or like carrying on a 2-way conversation with oneself, question & answer. Hard to explain what I mean. At any rate, he wouldn't be the first OCD child to say something about voices. With my son, so far as I know as he hasn't mentioned voices, he gets " feelings " of having to do something or something bad will happen to him, plus it has to feel " just right. " I might ask him if it ever feels like OCD is telling him something (voice or...). And, yes, stress or excitement or unhappiness can sometimes increase OCD symptoms so you're right, I'm sure, if you've noted that with Henry. Keep us updated on how you & Henry are doing! Enjoy your holiday. Sometimes OCD seems to take a vacation also when away from home, hope it's true for Henry! > I have wrote about my 6 year old Henry before and how he has the > compulsion to lick his hands after they have been wet. (I really > appreciated the responses from you and advise). > Anyway, we are going on holiday tomorrow, and obviously he is very > excited, but he has mentioned today that last night and at times > today he has had voices in his head saying , " shut up " and to lick > his hands. He has made me swear to secrecy with people that we know > and has said he will ignore this monster or tell it to go away. > Is this usual to hear an actual voice and do OCD symptoms increase > as much if not more during times of excitement, as during times of > stress or unhappiness. Henrys seem to. I would appreciate any advise > as this again is new to me and with going away as well, it is all a > bit daunting. > thanks Alison Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 24, 2003 Report Share Posted August 24, 2003 Hi Ali, yes kids commonly call OCD a " voice in their heads " that " tells them or makes them do this or that or a bad thing will happen " . According to my daughter's psychiatrist, he doesn't think kids actually hear voices (as in psychosis) but that's the closest explanation young kids can come up with for how they " know " what OCD is wanting them to do. When your son's age, my daughter said OCD was like a big boss giving her orders to do things she didn't want to do. When I asked my daughter if OCD talked to her with a regular voice like I do, she said no, it was more like giving her ideas. This along with all OCD symptoms lowered in intensity with proper therapy and in my child's case, an SSRI. Yes! it's really common for OCD symptoms to intensify when the person is under some sort of situational stress or even excitement. That's why back-to-school is a common tough time for OCD kids, as well as anticipation of fun things such as leaving for vacation. Enjoy your holiday! Kathy R. in Indiana ----- Original Message ----- From: ali7196 I have wrote about my 6 year old Henry before and how he has the compulsion to lick his hands after they have been wet. (I really appreciated the responses from you and advise). Anyway, we are going on holiday tomorrow, and obviously he is very excited, but he has mentioned today that last night and at times today he has had voices in his head saying , " shut up " and to lick his hands. He has made me swear to secrecy with people that we know and has said he will ignore this monster or tell it to go away. Is this usual to hear an actual voice and do OCD symptoms increase as much if not more during times of excitement, as during times of stress or unhappiness. Henrys seem to. I would appreciate any advise as this again is new to me and with going away as well, it is all a bit daunting. thanks Alison Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 24, 2003 Report Share Posted August 24, 2003 Hi, Alison. My daughter told me she could hear voices too and that she could see things. When I dug a little deeper into it--very afraid of the answers she might give me--she told me that she couldn't hear voices like she could hear me talking but that she had really loud thoughts in her head. She was seven at the time. As far as the " Seeing Things " (as we have named them) are concerned, they are like the " voices " as well. She knows that they aren't real and that they are just her OCD trying to scare her. Even now she will on occasion have one in her room when she is stressed. To me it is just proof of how real the thoughts in her head are to her. When she first started to talk about voices and seeing things, I was very afraid that she was schizophrenic. Turns out she is not--and other people on the site have reported similar things with their kids. I am careful who I mention these things to--my mom believes that hallucinates. Kelley in NV Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 24, 2003 Report Share Posted August 24, 2003 Hi Alison, My 6 year old son, , also described OCD as a " voice in his head. " I too was concerned when I heard this but soon realized (after seeing no symptoms of other disorders and checking with the psychologist) that it was just his best way of explaining the OCD. Last school year, on a particulary tough day for , he apparently described it this way to his elementary school guidance counselor as well. He didn't tell her it was OCD because at that time he didn't know that's what it was called. (He just called it the " bad game " in his head.) Soon after, at a school meeting (Principal, his Kindergarten teacher, guidance counselor, school psychologist, my husband, me and our son's own Psychologist were all present) the school Psychologist brought this up and asked our Psychologist if he did any " reality " testing with . We were fuming at how insensitive she was and also amazed at how ignorant she seemed by making that comment. I think she was trying to make a diagnosis on her own with all of about 10 minutes of in-class observation of . We have NOT told the school of his specific diagnosis- just that he has anxiety issues. If need be, we will tell the principal (we like her), but fortunately we haven't had to yet. We have since learned that the school psychologist has a reputation of not being very sensitive! We are thrilled that she retired at the end of last year!! Anyway, I mention this so you may be more prepared for the kind of reaction you may get if your son describes it to anyone else this way. Maddy in PA > >Reply-To: >To: >Subject: hearing voices >Date: Sun, 24 Aug 2003 18:52:47 -0000 > >I have wrote about my 6 year old Henry before and how he has the >compulsion to lick his hands after they have been wet. (I really >appreciated the responses from you and advise). >Anyway, we are going on holiday tomorrow, and obviously he is very >excited, but he has mentioned today that last night and at times >today he has had voices in his head saying , " shut up " and to lick >his hands. He has made me swear to secrecy with people that we know >and has said he will ignore this monster or tell it to go away. >Is this usual to hear an actual voice and do OCD symptoms increase >as much if not more during times of excitement, as during times of >stress or unhappiness. Henrys seem to. I would appreciate any advise >as this again is new to me and with going away as well, it is all a >bit daunting. >thanks Alison > _________________________________________________________________ Enter for your chance to IM with Bon Jovi, Seal, Bow Wow, or J Blige using MSN Messenger http://entertainment.msn.com/imastar Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 24, 2003 Report Share Posted August 24, 2003 Hi and Kelley-When my 14yo daughter was about four yrs old she said she had a GHOST in her head that talked to her,and told her to do things.That was the time when she started wearing really big panties cause her ghost told her she had to,as well as only pretty dresses-without lace or anything itchy.This went on (along with other various rituals)till we started counceling/meds in 7th grade.We still talk about `s ghost. Sue -- --------- Original Message --------- DATE: Sun, 24 Aug 2003 22:39:28 From: kelleydinkins@... To: Cc: Hi, Alison. My daughter told me she could hear voices too and that she could see things. When I dug a little deeper into it--very afraid of the answers she might give me--she told me that she couldn't hear voices like she could hear me talking but that she had really loud thoughts in her head. She was seven at the time. As far as the " Seeing Things " (as we have named them) are concerned, they are like the " voices " as well. She knows that they aren't real and that they are just her OCD trying to scare her. Even now she will on occasion have one in her room when she is stressed. To me it is just proof of how real the thoughts in her head are to her. When she first started to talk about voices and seeing things, I was very afraid that she was schizophrenic. Turns out she is not--and other people on the site have reported similar things with their kids. I am careful who I mention these things to--my mom believes that hallucinates. Kelley in NV Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 25, 2003 Report Share Posted August 25, 2003 Hi Alison: Change, even good change like getting ready for a fun vacation, can cause OCD symptoms to wax. Often people with OCD describe receiving instructions from voices. This has resulted in some sufferers being incorrectly diagnosed with schizophrenia and being given antipsychotic medication. Children do not have the same level of insight developed as adults who realize their OCD is sending error messages and tricking them - a brain glitch or hiccup. Sometimes people have comorbid OCD and schizophrenia. I am not a doc, just a mom with a child with OCD, but what you are describing sounds very much like OCD getting up to its tricks.. Good luck, take care, aloha, Kathy (h) kathy.hi@... hearing voices I have wrote about my 6 year old Henry before and how he has the compulsion to lick his hands after they have been wet. (I really appreciated the responses from you and advise). Anyway, we are going on holiday tomorrow, and obviously he is very excited, but he has mentioned today that last night and at times today he has had voices in his head saying , " shut up " and to lick his hands. He has made me swear to secrecy with people that we know and has said he will ignore this monster or tell it to go away. Is this usual to hear an actual voice and do OCD symptoms increase as much if not more during times of excitement, as during times of stress or unhappiness. Henrys seem to. I would appreciate any advise as this again is new to me and with going away as well, it is all a bit daunting. thanks Alison Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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